Robert Taylor "Bob" Elrod

Robert Taylor "Bob" Elrod, 68, passed away Thursday, Aug. 16, 2007.

Memorial service: noon Monday at Ridglea Country Club. Pastor Ron Liles will officiate. Visitation: 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Thompson's Harveson & Cole Funeral Home.

Memorials: A gift in his memory may be given to the Humane Society of North Texas, 1840 E. Lancaster Ave., Fort Worth 76103-2124; or a charity of choice.

Bob was born Oct. 8, 1938, in Chatsworth, Ga., son of the late Lee Galt and Mildred Mary Vickery Elrod. He held a master of business administration degree from Ohio State University and a bachelor of business administration degree from the University of Oklahoma.

Bob retired from Lockheed Martin Aeronautics in Fort Worth in June 2005 as executive vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin's F-35 joint strike fighter program. Previously, he served as executive vice president for aeronautics programs from August 2004 until his retirement and served as executive vice president for programs from 2000-2004.

He was president of the famed Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in Palmdale, Calif., from October 1999 to March 2000; was executive vice president for Lockheed Martin Tactical Aircraft Systems in Fort Worth from October 1998 to February 2000; and was vice president of the company's F-16 program beginning in 1995. His leadership helped establish the F-16 as a benchmark for excellence within the aeronautics industry.

He was respected for his expertise in managing complex aircraft development, production programs, for problem solving and doing so with a great sense of humor. He led several activities and initiatives that have been critical to the success of Lockheed Martin and its aircraft programs, including the establishment of stabilizing multiple-year contracts for the F-16 and C-130J with the U.S. government. He also played key roles in winning contracts for the F-16 in many nations around the world and in supplying F-16s to the U.S. Navy for use as adversary fighters in pilot training.

Bob joined the former General Dynamics in 1978 after a 21-year career in the U.S. Air Force in a variety of jobs and assignments. His last Air Force job was financial manager for the Strategic Systems Program Office at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, where he was responsible for several aircraft types, including the B-1 bomber and B-52 modifications.

Subsequent to his retirement from Lockheed Martin, Bob joined the board of directors of Elbit Systems and was most recently serving as president and CEO of Elbit Systems North America.

Bob was honored by the National Management Association in 2005 with the Silver Knight of Management Award. He was a loving father and an avid golfer who chose a golf outing to celebrate his retirement from Lockheed Martin, in lieu of a formal dinner. An outstanding cook, he could conjure up many great dishes from a few odd items in the cabinet and leftovers from the fridge. He loved his two cats, Cleo and Punjab.

In addition to his parents, Bob was preceded in death by his brother, Phillip; and sister, Lorraine.

Survivors: His wife, Toni; sons, Bob Jr., Matthew and Michael and his wife, Deborah; daughters, Lori Courtney and her husband, Alan, and Payton Merriman and her husband, Mark; their mother, Martha; grandchildren, Matthew, Presley, Mattie, Rachel and Harper; sisters, Betty and Jimmie and her husband, Hugh; and brother, Lee and his wife, Jackie.

Thompson's Harveson & Cole Funeral Home and Crematory

702 Eighth Ave., 817-336-0345

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